How storytelling changes our brains.
Have you ever wondered what happens inside our brains when we consume a story? From reading a book and listening to a podcast, to watching a drama on Netflix, stories connect us with our emotions and make us feel. But why is that? What’s happening inside our brains to make us think and act differently? How can brands capitalise on this to form deeper connections with their customers?
A primal form of communication
As human beings we’ve been telling stories for tens of thousands of years. The earliest evidence of storytelling was found in cave drawings in France, dating back to 30,000 years ago. Through poems, songs, prayers, fables and more, stories have formed an integral part of communities and how we connect with others. Telling stories transcends all cultures and all languages.
Stories are how we make sense of the world
We use stories on a daily basis to make sense of our experiences. When preparing for a meeting, we may create hypothetical scenarios to ensure we’re ready to answer questions. When discussing your day with your family, you don’t share your to do list - you retell curated stories. To get your little one to brush their teeth, you don’y say “58.68% of children had milk teeth removed last year.”. You craft a story about why it’s important to scrub sugar from all the nooks and crannies of their teeth, and if they do the dentist will be so pleased and even give them a sticker!
Stories are how we experience the world. And it should be how we experience brands too.
Stories trigger our stored senses
When we read or listen to a story, our sensory cortex is activated. As the name suggests, this part of the brain is responsible for our senses. Combined with our imaginations, our activated sensory cortex allows us to taste the food, smell the room and feel the chill in the air, as if we are part of the story. The reader becomes the main character. Unlike a list of facts which are easily forgettable, a narrative-based approach adds context. It taps into the stored sensory experiences of our audiences, creating an experience that’s much more likely to find it’s way to the hippocampus - the part of the brain where memories are stored.
Stories foster connection via the ‘love hormone’
One of the most amazing things that happens when we read or hear a story is that our brains release oxytocin. If you’ve had a baby, you’ll know that this hormone is released during pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding. Its primary role is to connect parent and child during childbirth, but it also plays an important role in forming social bonds. Oxytocin is a ‘pro-social’ hormone that elevates feelings of trust and connection. For brands, by telling an authentic and compelling story, you raise your audience’s oxytocin levels, giving them the opportunity to form an opinion and genuinely connect with your brand. Isn’t that amazing?
Stories also make sense of complex information
Finally, stories play a pivotal role in communicating complex content. Through consuming media and sharing stories with loved ones daily, we find comfort in the predictability of a story arc. By applying narrative patterns to complicated content, you can make it much easier to consume, digest and remember.
We’re only human, after all
When you’re working on brand strategy, content or a campaign it’s easy to skip this in your brief: all audiences are human. Regardless of whether your B2B, B2C or DTC, to ensure your message lands, connects and is remembered, add narrative and tell stories. It will make your content much better.
